“Great Introspections”

By Gary Poole and Nancy Chick

As Teaching & Learning Inquiry (TLI) celebrates its 10-year anniversary, we have enjoyed reminiscing on the early days, including those before ISSOTL decided to sponsor a journal.  We recall, for example, lively discussions on the ISSOTL Board of Directors about whether there was a need for “yet another SoTL journal” and how it would maintain high standards of rigour—with strong encouragement to stick to high rejection rates. Ultimately, we believe TLI has acknowledged and successfully responded to those early debates through its consistent “commitment to inclusiveness and quality in SoTL,” as Nancy wrote in her July 2011 application to serve as the inaugural editor/co-editor.  

The visible evidence that this commitment has been honored is in the 20 tables of contents. If you click through those pages, you’ll notice scholars from a wide range of disciplines, countries, and institution types writing in a range of styles, voices, and genres. If you explore the articles themselves, you’ll find articles that help us grow as teachers and SoTL practitioners.

The less visible evidence of this commitment is the behind-the-scenes work of peer reviewers and authors. From the diversity of peer reviewers selected for each submission to the relationship between the editorial team (the two of us for many years, but now a robust team of two co-editors and four associate editors) and authors. Every piece that appears in TLI reflects a thoughtful and collegial dialogue between authors and the TLI editorial staff—the most salient manifestation of the journal’s rigour.

As we looked back on the pages of TLI for our invited essay, we gained a new appreciation for how this commitment, including how it made space for authors to be introspective. Read our essay, “Great Introspections: How and Why SoTL Looks Inward” here.